Volume 8, Issue 17: May 21, 2015

MEMORIAL DAY ACTIVITIES

The Chaska American Legion and VFW organizations will be holding their annual Memorial Day activities on Monday, May 25th beginning with a series of short visits to area cemeteries by the honor guards. The first stop will be East Union Cemetery at 7:30 am, followed by St. Nicholas and Mount Hope Cemeteries in Carver, and then the Chaska Cemeteries of Guardian Angels, Moravian, Mount Pleasant, and lastly, St. John's at 9:30 am.

A parade will then begin at 10:00 am from the area of Fourth and Ash Streets, and traveling around the block past Auburn Manor and Talheim Apartments and down Walnut Street to City Square Park. Following the parade, a memorial service will be held in the park to honor and remember all those who have served their country.

Sgt. Erik Hoklin, a Minnesota National Guard squad leader from the 834th Aviation Support Battalion will be the featured speaker. The Chaska High School and Middle School West Bands will perform as well.

Also in observance of Memorial Day, all Chaska City facilities will be closed on Monday, May 25th. The Community Center will observe shortened hours on Saturday, May 23rd from 5:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Sunday, May 24th from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Regular hours will resume on Tuesday, May 26th.

Ladies, this event is made especially for you! Grab the girls or enjoy a soothing solo night alone when you shop the amazing finds of Downtown Chaska. Specials, especially for you include drinks, treats, and of course, much needed pampering.

The City of Chaska, SW Metro Chamber of Commerce, and SayHey 5K have partnered together for the new Chaska Downtown Farmers’ Market! The 2015 market season is Wednesdays (3-7pm) June 3rd thru October 14th at City Square Park in downtown Chaska. The market will feature local produce, honey, flowers, baked goods, gifts and more. There will also be live music and entertainment.

For more information or to find out how to become a vendor, contact Lori Anderson at 952-474-3233.

Have you noticed our new format for the City Hall Bulletin? We have a new web provider and are trying a different program. Residents can still sign up to receive a copy of the City Hall Bulletin by email by contacting Chaska Senior Clerk, Margo Steffel at Msteffel@chaskamn.com. We hope to make even more improvements as time goes by.

SUMMER SOLICITORS

With summer approaching, a more common occurrence in the community is solicitors going door-to-door. Chaska ordinance covers the licensing of solicitors, peddlers, and transients in the City.

Solicitors are persons who go door-to-door, making one on one contact with residents, commonly to sell a product or take a poll. Each individual of the business is required to have a permit. Individuals placing flyers on car windows or in newspaper boxes are not required to have a permit.

Peddlers are those individuals who sell a product typically from a moving vehicle, such as an ice cream truck, or frozen seafood business. Peddlers are required to have a permit either upon their person or visible in their vehicle interior.

Transients are those individuals who set up a temporary stand to vend a product, such as a vegetable stand or a flea market. They must have permission from the property owner where they intend to set up their business and must have a permit from the City.

All permits are $40 and are good through the end of the year. Each individual who is part of a non-profit organization must have a permit also, but the fee is waived. Applications may be found online at www.chaskamn.com by going to the Administration section, and then to the licensing division. All applications go to the Council for approval by resolution. Upon approval, individuals may pick up their permit in person at City Hall by showing identification. The City does not endorse any particular business.

The City of Chaska does not issue photo identification cards on lanyards, but does require solicitors to carry a laminated permit on their person which must be presented upon request. Permits issued from other cities are not good in the City of Chaska. If a solicitor is unwilling to show their permit, or a resident feels the solicitor is being overly aggressive or displaying any other unwanted behavior, the police or city hall may be called at 952-448-9200, or at 911 if it is after regular business hours. Complaints regarding solicitors, peddlers, and transients are taken very seriously and offenders will not be allowed to do business in the City. Residents may also place a “No Soliciting” notice at their residence. If the notice is ignored, whether the individual has a permit or not, the police may be contacted.

It has been the experience of Chaska City Staff that there have not been major issues with those solicitors, peddlers, and transients who have obtained the required permits. Issues have typically come from those individuals who have not gone through the licensing process with the City.

Questions regarding permitted individuals or how to obtain a permit may be directed to Margo Steffel, Chaska Senior Clerk, at 952-448-9200.